Wildland Fire Sensors Challenge

Due Date: 11/22/2017

A collaborative partnership of federal agencies seeks submissions for a field-ready prototype system capable of measuring constituents of smoke, including particulates, carbon monoxide, ozone, and carbon dioxide, over the wide range of levels expected during wildland fires. The prototype system should be accurate, light-weight, easy to operate, and capable of wireless data transmission, so that first responders and nearby communities have access to timely information about local air quality conditions during wildland fire events.

The sensors should provide continuous real-time monitoring of highly dynamic air pollution levels during a fire event, including PM2.5, CO, O3, and CO2, to provide smoke exposure information to those in close proximity to fires and further downwind.

The Challenge award is contingent upon qualitative evaluation and experimental validation of the submitted solutions. The maximum award for meeting all the requirements is $60,000. If more than one meets all the requirements, the Seeker will decide on a winner that best fits their needs. In the event that no solution meets all the requirements, the Seeker may, at their discretion, give partial awards to those submissions deemed promising from a minimum of $10,000 up to $50,000.

The Challenge is sponsored by a collaborative partnership among: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.